12/20/2013· Failure Analysis
Outboard Boating Engine Accident: Mechanical Failure Analysis
By: Gerald Davis
A severe personal injury incident occurred as a recreational fishing boat was approaching a dock at approximately 20 mph after a day on the water. The large outboard engine (75 HP) on the stern of the boat struck a fixed underwater obstruction, flipped into the boat while still running and amputated the hand of a passenger seated near the engine.
8/7/2012· Failure Analysis
Failure Analysis: Metal Fatigue of Automatic Machinery - Wafer Test Station
By: Dr. Thomas Read
During normal operation, the arm on an automatic wafer test station failed. Root cause failure analysis determined that the drive shaft on the right angle gear motor used to raise and lower the manipulator arm had failed first.
5/21/2012· Failure Analysis
Failure Analysis: Product Liability & Personal Injury Involving a Broken Grinding Wheel
By: Dr. Thomas Read
This grinding wheel was part of a product liability and personnel injury case. It was claimed that the subject wheel had unexpectedly failed (i.e. flown apart) and an escaping piece had hit the plaintiff in the face causing serious injuries. According to the user, the grinder with the wheel was purchased approximately one hour before the grinding wheel failure.
3/29/2012· Failure Analysis
Failure Analysis: Collapse of Plastic Chair
By: Dr. Thomas Read
A failed plastic lawn chair was examined to determine the cause of failure. This chair failed on the premises of a restaurant In this study the subject chair is examined and compared to several exemplar purchased at the same time. The objective of this study is to determine the cause of failure.
11/8/2011· Failure Analysis
Root Cause Failure Analysis of Tempered Glass Door
By: Dr. Thomas Read
Glass Failure Analysis Expert Witness performs a failure analysis of a several tempered glass doors that had "spontaneously" failed at a construction site. The objective of this glass failure analysis is to determine the cause of failure and make recommendations to the contractor.
8/30/2011· Failure Analysis
Metal Failure Analysis: Metal Food Contaminant Failure Analysis
By: Dr. Thomas Read
Materials failure analysis expert performs a failure analysis to determine the source of a metal piece found in tomato product.
5/17/2011· Failure Analysis
Plumbing Failure Analysis: Stress Corrosion Cracking of Yellow Brass
By: Dr. Thomas Read
A plumbing failure analysis was performed to determine why a cold water supply line to a bathroom sink had failed after only one year of service.
4/1/2011· Failure Analysis
Failure Analysis of a "Exploding" Beer Bottle: Product Defect, Product Liability
By: Dr. Thomas Read
A glass failure expert witness performs a root cause failure analysis on an exploding beer bottle. The object of this root cause failure analysis is to determine the cause of the bottle failure.
7/7/2009· Failure Analysis
Failure Analysis of a Broken Jam Jar
By: Dr. Thomas Read
Glass fractography is the most effective method for determining why a glass object, such as a bottle, failed. This technique consists of examining the fracture surfaces of the failure for artifacts such as Wallner lines and using them to trace the crack back to its origin. Once the origin has been identified, it can be examined in detail with a microscope to determine the cause of the failure.
7/7/2009· Failure Analysis
Failure Analysis of a Failed Ceramic Water Holding Tank on a Toilet
By: Dr. Thomas Read
The cracked tank was first inspected in the "as received" condition. In this condition it was cracked, but it was still whole. Next, the failed tank was separated by pulling it apart. This was done to expose the fracture surfaces of the main crack. This allowed for a complete failure analysis and for a determination of where the crack initiated.
by Shahid H. Bokhari, PhD
by Guy H. Haskell, PhD, JD, NREMT-P
by Bankole A. Johnson, MD
